The Chicago Blackhawks are a sad team. They're sad
that they won't be seeing the Sharks anymore this season. Chicago set an NHL
record with their 17th consecutive game in which they recorded a point to start
a season by beating San Jose with a 2-1 win at the United Center on Friday
night. The win was Chicago's third in as many tries against a Sharks team that
continues to struggle.

Chicago breaks the Anaheim Ducks record of 16
straight games to record a point at the start of a season, feasting on the
Sharks this season. San Jose played a spirited 40 minutes, but after
surrendering a short-handed goal at the start of the 3rd period, the offense
couldn't muster any presence in the Blackhawks zone.

The Sharks looked
like a different team than the one that struggled to move the puck out of their
own end a week ago against the Blackhawks. With three days rest since knocking
off the Blues, San Jose had fresh legs that moved well.

Their ability
to get to open spots on the ice helped eliminate a number of second chances for
Chicago. A week ago the Sharks gave too many follow up opportunities, which
resulted in goals. Chicago outshot San Jose 11-8 in that opening period, but
without rebounds to haunt them the Sharks managed the Blackhawks.

San
Jose was content to get out of the period with a clean score sheet, but Patrick
Marleau slipped a puck past Blackhawks goaltender Ray Emery with 14.5 seconds
left in the period to put the Sharks up 1-0. Marleau pounced on a rebound in
the slot after Joe Thornton bounced a shot off the Blackhawks goaltender. It
looked as if Emery was going to stop Marleau as well, but the puck rolled on
end along Emery's left pad, crossing the goal line for the late goal.

Penalties prevented the Sharks from generating much momentum in the first half
of the 2nd period. Michal Handzus took a lazy hooking penalty at 1:53 of the
period, then T.J. Galiardi was sent off for boarding Daniel Carcillo.

After their own power play stalled, the Sharks surrendered the tying goal with
3:20 left in the period when Viktor Stalberg put a shot on goal off the rush.
Defenseman Brent Burns deflected the shot into his own net after the puck
entered the crease from the left side.

Brent Seabrook set the table
for the Sharks early in the 3rd period by taking a tripping penalty to put San
Jose on the power play. A special teams letdown cost San Jose when Brendan Saad
skated the puck up ice during the penalty kill and snapped a shot off the right
post, beating Antti Niemi to put Chicago up 2-1. Brent Burns was a little
disinterested in getting back to take the shot away from Saad, which cost the
Sharks.

Brian Bickell setup another Sharks power play at 5:21
of the period, but San Jose's anemic special teams unit couldn't get the puck
past Emery. San Jose had 7 shots on goal during the two minute span, but they
put 6 shots on net the rest of the period.

With the absence of pucks
headed in Emery's direction, San Jose had no scoring chances in the last 10
minutes of the game.

When the Sharks did approach the net, their luck
would turn on them. Tommy Wingels had a wide open look at the net from 15 feet
out late in the period, but his stick snapped in two off a shot attempt that
trickled harmlessly wide of the net.

Niemi was pulled with a minute to
play, but the Sharks couldn't get the puck into the Chicago zone. Andrew Shaw
added injury to insult by plastering Joe Pavelski from behind with 8 seconds
left in the contest. Ryane Clowe got his name on the scoresheet by going after
Shaw, earning a roughing minor and a game misconduct for his late appearance in
the contest.

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